Pass-book



TINTTED STATES PATENT EETCE.

URIAI-I G. BECK AND WARREN E. BECK, OE ELMIRA, NEV YORK.

PASS-BOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,169, dated February 4, 1896. Application filed October 21, 1895. Serial No. 566,352. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, URIAH G. BECK and IVARREN F. BECK, citizens of the United States7 residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new an d useful Improvements in Pass-Books, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of passbooks in which coupons are used in connection with pass-leaves, one or more of said coupons being removed each time that a purchase is made.

In our Patent No. 544,279, of August 13, 1895, we have shown a pass-book of this type in which a series of lcoupons is detachably secured to the top of each pass-leaf. Each coupon has a blank space in which to insert the number of the pass-book or the customer to whom the pass-book is assigned and the initial or signature of the clerk making a sale, and also a blank space in which to insert the amount of-each purchase, or each purchase plus the amount of all the precede ing purchases.

Our pass-book shownin our patent above named is also provided with what is called a limitation-signal on the back of the first page of the cover, having a blank space to insert the number of the book or the customer and the amount of the limit of the customers credit.

Ie have improved on our patented passbook in several particulars. Instead of arranging the coupons in a horizontal row above the passleaves and detachably securing them to the pass-leaves, we arrange the coupons in vertical rows between the pass-leaves at their inner edges. By this arrangement the passleaves may be larger and of ordinary construction. They need not be perforated, as heretofore, and thus danger of tearing -the pass-leaves when coupons are detached is avoided. The pass-leaves may be made of stout paper, while the coupons may be made of comparatively thin paper interleaved with the pass-leaves. Again by the vertical arrangement the coupons are in line with and close to the footings of the purchases itemized on the pass-leaves, enabling the clerk to more readily make an entry on a coupon corresponding with the total of a purchase. We

provide a limitation-signal, as heretofore, and may locate it as heretofore, but cut away the pass-leaves in such a way that when the book is open the limitation-signal may readily be seen at all times without turning back preceding leaves of the pass-book.

Our improvements are shown in the accompanyn g drawings, in which- Figure l shows a perspective view of the pass-book open. Fig. 2 shows a transverse section thereof. Fig. 3 shows a modification of our invention, in which the limitation-signal is located at the top of the book instead of at the bottom, as preferred.

The passeleaves A are contained within a suitable cover B. They are ruled and subdivided in the usual way. Between each two pass-leaves we secure a vertical series of checks or coupons C. These checks or coupons may be printed on comparatively thin paper, so as not to increase materially the bulk of the book. They are narrow, their width preferably being not more than one fourth the width of the pass-leaves, and they are perforated 'at and y to admit of their ready detachment. Each check orl coupon may be blank-that is, it need not have any printed matter upon it. Preferably, however, we provide each coupon with a short horizontal line z, arranged at a point about two-thirds the distance from the top to the bottom of the coupons.

On the inside of the front of the cover we print the abbreviation No and on the inner side of the back of the cover we print a dollarmark, (t.) These we call the limitation-signal. After the abbreviation No is to be written the number of the customer-.in the present instance the customers number is 5- and after the dollarmark is written the amount of credit given to the customer. In Fig. l this limitation-signal is at the bottom of the book and at the middle portion thereof.

The pass-leaves and coupons are cut away at c', so that when the book is opened the limitation-signal is exposed, no matter what pass-leaf may be referred to or be in use. The limitation-signal may be arranged at the top of the book, if preferred, as shown in Fig. 3.

The manner of using our improved passbook is indicated in the drawings. On the IOO pass-leaf the merchant makes an itemized entry of each purchase. As shown in Fig. 1, the first purchase amounts to fifty-five cents. The coupon vadjacent to the itemized entry is filled out with the total of the purchaseviz., .55. The number (5) of the customer is also written on the coupon, and the merchant or clerk making the sale enters his initial (A) on the coupon. The total of the next purchase is $3.15, which, added to the previous sale, amounts to $3.70, and the coupon is filled out for O, as indicated. Subsequent sales are entered in a similar way, which is substantially the same way as that described in our patent above mentioned. Each time that a sale is made the proper coupon is detached and placed away in a corresponding` compartment in a suitable cabinet-such, for instance, as that shown in our Patent No. 544,280, of August 13, 1895.

In the drawings we have shown the coupons as still in the book. It should be understood, however, that each coupon is removed as soon as it is filled out. ln Fig. 1 the entries are shown on the left-hand side of the book. Vhen the entries are made on the opposite pass-leaf, the corresponding` entries are made on the opposite sides of the coupons remaining in the book between two leaves, seven coupons, as indicated in the drawings, being found sufficient to accom modate all sales itemized on two pass-leaves.

In filling out a pass-leaf the merchant usually holds the book at the top. Therefore there is a material advantage in having the limitation-signal at the bottom of the book. Other advantages of our improved pass-book over others heretofore used, and even over that shown in our Patent No. 544,27 9, above referred to, will be apparent. Not only does the arrangement of the coupons in a vertical row enable us to use more coupons between each two pass-leaves, and thus use both sides of each pass-leaf instead of only one side, as in our patented pass-book, but the coupons maybe made more readily detachable, as they are subjected to but little strain, except when positively manipulated to detach a single coupon. The coupons lying closeto and in the same parallel plane with the totals of the entries, the transfer to the coupons can be quickly made with little liability of error. Not only are the limitation-signals exposed to view whenever the book is opened at any page, but when arranged at the bottom of the book cannot be covered by the hand of the merchant, as was the case in our former book. In

the latter case, also, often coupons were left remaining at the top of the pass-leaf which was completely lled out by a purchase containing a large number of items, and when this was the case these undetached coupons often covered the limitation-signal. There is no such liability in our improved book.

Te have not described in detail the manner of using our book, as this is now well understood bythe public, and the system is practically the same as that described in our Patents Nos. 544,279 and 544,280, before referred to, and we wish it understood that the general system is not materially changed by the use of our improved pass-book; but by our improvements we provide a book which is cheaper, more substantial, and can be more easily used both by the merchant and the customer.

NVe claim as our invention- 1. A pass-book comprising a series of passleaves, a series of coupons of less width than the pass-leaves arranged vertically between said pass-leaves, detachable from each other and from the book, and secured to the book near the central portion thereof, the outer edges of the vertical rows of coupons being arranged at the inner portions of the passleaves on which itemized entries are made.

2. A pass-book comprisinga series of passleaves, a series of vertically-arran ged coupons between the leaves, detachably secured to each other and to the book near the middle portion thereof, a limitation-signal on the interior of the book, and notches or openings formed in the pass-leaves to expose the limitation-signal.

3. A pass-book comprising a series of passleaves, and a series of detachable coupons, a cover, limitation-signals on the front and back of the cover, said pass-leaves being provided with cut-away portions or openings to expose the limitation-signal.

4. The combination of the pass-leaves, the book-cover, the detachable coupons, limitation-signals on the inner side of the cover at front and back, said pass-leaves and coupons being provided with cut-away portions or openings to expose the limitation-signals, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

URIAH G. BECK. NVARREN F. BECK. Witnesses:

CHAs. H. KNIPP, JENNIE M. ALnRicH.

IOO 

